Electric power failure alarm device



Sept. 1952 D. J. FAL,TZ

ELECTRIC POWER FAILURE ALARM DEVICE Filed Nov. 14, 1949 v INVENTOR. 29 3 ga me failt Patented Sept. 2, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT QFFICE ELECTRIC POWER FAILURE ALAEM DEVICE Daniel J. Faltz, rrwinra. Application November 14, 1949, Serial No. 127,100

1 Claim. 1

My invention relates to electric alarm systems, and. more particularly to those suitable for use with electric clocks. The device is particularly useful for immediately calling attention to any interruption in the circuit of an electric clock. For example, the owner will set the alarm of an electric clock at bed time. If, during the night, the clock circuit is interrupted, the owner will be immediately apprised thereof, through ringing of a warning bell. This warning will be given also upon the stopping of an electric clock that does not have an alarm.

My invention has for its object the provision of an alarm unit or warning signal that can readily be applied to electric clocks that are either of the alarm or non-alarm type, without the necessity of making any changes in the clock.

As shown in the accompanying drawing, Figure 1 is a view, partly in side elevation and partly in section, showing my alarm device electrically connected to the wiring for an electric clock; Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof, and Fig. 3 is a view showing a modification of the alarm or signal device of Figs. 1 and 2.

Referring first to Figs. 1 and 2, the mechanism is shown as enclosedwithin a housing 4 and comprises alarm bell gearing within a clock case 5 of standard or conventional form having a striking hammer 6 for engagement with a bell 7, the hammer being operated by spring-driven gearing in a well known manner, and a key 8 is provided for winding the alarm spring. A trip lever 9 projects from the lower end of the case, and when swung in the right-hand direction, will trip the alarm mechanism to permit operation of the hammer.

A tension spring H is connected to the trip lever 9 and tends to pull the lever in a direction to release the alarm. A pull rod 12 connects the lever 9 to a movable core l3 of a solenoid 14. When the solenoid M is energized, its core 13 will be moved to the left to hold the lever 9 in its locked position, against the tension of the spring H. The current-supply wires l5 for the solenoid are tapped into the line l6 that supplies electrical current to a clock IT. This clock may be of the type that has an in-built alarm or may be of the non-alarm type.

In setting the system for operation, a slidablymounted holding bar [8 is pulled to the left, so that its upstanding leg I9 will push the core 13 into the solenoid, against the pull of the spring H, to hold the trip lever 9 in its locked position. The slide bar 13 has pin-and-slot connection at 20 with the base 2| of the housing 4. A latch 22 is pivotally supported on this base and will releasably hold the slide in its pulled-back position, to prevent ringing of the alarm bell either while the winding key 8 is being turned or when the user is aware of the broken circuit through the solenoid and does not wish the alarm to continue ringing.

When the wires it have been plugged into the house wiring circuit and wires id have been tapped into the wires 16, movement of the slide to its release position shown in full lines in Fig. 1 places the system in condition for operation. If there is failure of current in the line it, the magnet will release the core i3, thus permitting the spring I I t pull the trip lever 55 to the right and release the alarm mechanism.

Referring now to Fig. 3, I show an electricallyoperated warning bell 25 which may be of the ordinary door bell type, energized from a dry cell at 26. The bell and dry cell circuit has switch contact members 21 that will be bridged by a movable switch member 23 when there is failure of current in the circuit 29 of an electric clock 30. When there is electric current present, a relay winding 31 will be energized to thereby hold the switch member 28 in open position. The wiring 32 of magnet 31 and the wires 29 are plugged into a'two-Way connector 33 which will in turn be plugged into a house-lighting circuit. When there is failure of current, a spring 32 will close the contact members 28-41 to complete the alarm bell circuit. In this arrangement also, a locking device such as the latch 22 of Fig. 2 can be used to releasably hold the switch 28 open.

I claim as my invention:

A warning device for control by the circuit of an electric clock or the like, comprising a case having a base therein, a solenoid on the base adapted for electrical connection to an electrical circuit, a movable core for the solenoid, an alarm bell and spring-driven mechanism therefor carried by the case, a trip lever for releasably locking the mechanism against operation, aconnection between the trip lever and the core, a spring for moving the lever and the core, to release the mechanism when the clock circuit is broken and the solenoid deenergized, a slide bar on the base and projecting from the casing, parallel to the core and having a leg engageable with the core, to move the core and the lever to their holding positions and to releasably hold them there, and a latch for releasably holding the slide bar against the force of the spring that acts on the core and the lever.

DANIEL J. FALTZ.

REFERENCES orrin) The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 942,508 Menkin Dec. 7, 1909 1,565 904 Burkholder, Jr. Dec. 15, 1925 2,439,331 Bean Apr. 6, 1948 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 438,170 Germany Dec. 10, 1926 

